Discussion My cancer has progressed

[Geekbabe]

I am unhappy that I have to tell you my cancer has progressed & I will be going back into treatment. Hopefully, my Oncologist has a plan that my body will tolerate. Fortunately, it’s not in my brain, abs, liver or pelvis. My mediasternum & lots of lymph nodes are involved though…still putting one sneaker in from of the other, trusting in Mass General Cancer Center to give me more time…

 

[BoomerD]

Oh gawd...I'm so sorry to hear this. Hopefully the cure isn't worse than the disease.

In the mid-90s, my mom died of liver and colon cancer...presumably metastasized from lung cancer. Along the way, some of the chemo treatments she underwent nearly killed her...and made her life so miserable that she felt dying would be better....so she discontinued the treatments, lived on pain meds for a few months...and died.

 

[Captante]

Really sorry to hear that .... but keep those sneakers going! (don't make me drive up to Boston and kick your a$$!) ❤️❤️

Let us know how it goes plz.

*(fvck cancer)

 

[Geekbabe]

Oh gawd...I'm so sorry to hear this. Hopefully the cure isn't worse than the disease.

In the mid-90s, my mom died of liver and colon cancer...presumably metastasized from lung cancer. Along the way, some of the chemo treatments she underwent nearly killed her...and made her life so miserable that she felt dying would be better....so she discontinued the treatments, lived on pain meds for a few months...and died.

I am hoping for Immunotherapy of some sort again …chemo didn’t work for me the first time…

 

[Red Squirrel]

Sorry to hear. Here's hoping the next round of treatment is not too hard on you, and is effective.

 

[Perknose]

^^^ It's hard to find the right words for this next challenge, one in a seemingly unending series, except "Hang in there, Jean. We love you, and you deserve the best medical science has to offer."

 

[Iron Woode]

I am greatly saddened to hear about this. I am at a loss for words. Facing your own mortality is one of the hardest things there is. I hope the treatments are successful.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Can you tolerate sauna baths? Increasing body temperature makes the enzymes work more efficiently, allowing your blood to flow more and let your immune cells get into the places where the cancer cells are. Plus, cancer cells hate heat. And if you could switch to keto diet, you can starve the cancer cells coz they only use glucose.

 

[lxskllr]

Sorry to hear this. However it goes, I hope you remain happy and comfortable throughout.

To the fight!

Skål!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sorry to hear this, Geekbabe. Much love.

 

[igor_kavinski]

chemo didn’t work for me the first time…

Yeah, chemo is where the doctors poison you and hope the cancer cells die and you make it through the poisoning. Similar to antibiotics but much, much worse.

 

[Brainonska511]

I'm sorry to hear that.

Any chance of having next generation sequencing done on the tumors to open the door to many of the new targeted therapies?

 

[William Gaatjes]

Sorry to hear the sad news, Geek babe.
Get well soon.

Perhaps this information can be of some help :
Companies like for example BioNtech (Germany) (collaborates with Pfizer) have developed new individualized mRNA strategies to attack the tumors in patients.
Perhaps your oncologist can do something with this information (from 2021) :

https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/biontech-expands-clinical-oncology-portfolio-first-patient-dosed/

And this information :
Cambridge, Massachusetts based Moderna also has similar advanced individualized mRNA strategies in the portfolio since the last 3 years :

Personalized anti-cancer vaccine combining mRNA and immunotherapy tested in melanoma trial

Nature Medicine explores the latest translation and clinical research news, with a phase 3 trial from Merck and Moderna testing mRNA-4157 combined with pembrolizumab in melanoma.

www.nature.com

And this information :

UK, BioNTech test mRNA against cancer - Nature Biotechnology

www.nature.com

 

[nakedfrog]

Here's hoping things work out the best they can ❤

 

[Brainonska511]

Sorry to hear the sad news, Geek babe.
Get well soon.

Perhaps this information can be of some help :
Companies like for example BioNtech (Germany) (collaborates with Pfizer) have developed new individualized mRNA strategies to attack the tumors in patients.
Perhaps your oncologist can do something with this information (from 2021) :

https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/biontech-expands-clinical-oncology-portfolio-first-patient-dosed/

And this information :
Cambridge, Massachusetts based Moderna also has similar advanced individualized mRNA strategies in the portfolio since the last 3 years :

Personalized anti-cancer vaccine combining mRNA and immunotherapy tested in melanoma trial

Nature Medicine explores the latest translation and clinical research news, with a phase 3 trial from Merck and Moderna testing mRNA-4157 combined with pembrolizumab in melanoma.

www.nature.com

And this information :

UK, BioNTech test mRNA against cancer - Nature Biotechnology

www.nature.com

I would also note, and Geekbabe is probably well aware: Mass General has top researchers working with plenty of pharma companies, with access to numerous trials. There could potentially be some clinical trials available for any number of pipeline products, if that route is to be pursued.

 

[olds]

So sorry to hear this Jean. Here's hoping things go your way.
Have Red give you a hug for us.

 

[Geekbabe]

Just got back from Mass General Cancer Center My Oncologist reassured me I have options. He felt the nodes in my neck were from dental infection. The mediasternum has him wondering if this is possibly lymphoma…because there is nothing new in my lungs & my lymph nodes exploded out of nowhere.plus I have had night sweats.They will biopsy a node under my arm to get some answers. He prescribed an antibiotic for 2 weeks. The Radiologist also suggested Lymphoma…. Leave it to me to score a double header eh? At any rate we walk through this one step at a time…I feel comforted for some reason here

 

[Geekbabe]

I would also note, and Geekbabe is probably well aware: Mass General has top researchers working with plenty of pharma companies, with access to numerous trials. There could potentially be some clinical trials available for any number of pipeline products, if that route is to be pursued.

I will do any clinical trial my Oncologist suggests…however he said we walk one step at a time. Antibiotics for the mouth, an oral surgeon to get the bAd teeth out, a biopsy to see what we are dealing with and if it’s lung cancer to test it for mutation. This guy is head of thoracic oncology & runs the immunotherapy show. I couldn’t get a more brilliant doctor

 

[Shmee]

Sorry to hear about this setback, but hopefully it is just an infection or something relatively benign, and the doctors can cure it. Stay strong and get well soon.

 

[allisolm]

I will do any clinical trial my Oncologist suggests…however he said we walk one step at a time. Antibiotics for the mouth, an oral surgeon to get the bAd teeth out, a biopsy to see what we are dealing with and if it’s lung cancer to test it for mutation. This guy is head of thoracic oncology & runs the immunotherapy show. I couldn’t get a more brilliant doctor

So sorry the original news wasn't better, but here's hoping the revisions are more accurate. I have for many years held your status in treatment up as a positive, hopeful outcome to those I know who have cancer. My brother has renal cancer and he is taking Keytruda which I understand is a similar immunotherapy to what you have been using. I'm just hoping he can achieve with this approach as many years as you are getting. I certainly hope for more even than that for you both.

I'm pretty sure that, had he gone with some of the advice given in this thread, he would already be dead. Thankfully that did not happen and I look forward to years with him around.

 

[amdhunter]

i hope everything works out for you.

 

[kage69]

Crap, I'm so sorry Jean. Good to hear you have some talent in your corner though. Hoping some of these CRISPR and mRNA advances I've been hearing about start to make a difference for people like you battling that fucking sonavabitch.

Stay strong lady!